1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the utilization of C.sub.21 dicarboxylic acid salts as hydrotropes or solubilizing agents in combination with nonionics to form cleaning compositions that are biodegradable and non-toxic.
2. The Prior Art
There is presently an urgent necessity to replace phosphates in cleaning or detergent compositions and particularly in view of anti-pollution laws being enacted to eliminate eutrophication of bodies of water, both above and underground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,223 is illustrative of recent development in the detergent formulation industry. As noted therein, it is practice to combine various chemical compounds or builders with the surfactant or surface-active compound generally employed. The latter are numerous and varied beng anionic, cationic, nonionic, ampholytic and zwitterionic. The "builder" of this patent is an oxacyclopropane polycarboxylic acid or salt thereof, such as 2,3-dicarboxylic acid. While the C.sub.21 dicarboxylic acid of the present invention also contains two carboxyl groups, the compounds are otherwise clearly chemically unrelated in chemical structure and derivation.